Candle in the Wind
by ChoCedric
Summary: AU. As Cedric sat in his seat, looking at all the people attending Harry's funeral, he felt guilt squeeze his heart. That killing curse was meant for me, he thought, tears prickling his eyes. Not you. AU aftermath of the third task.


Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Candle in the Wind

By: ChoCedric

On that dreaded morning, the Great Hall was somber and subdued as everyone ate their breakfast. Cedric looked over at all the house tables, especially that of the Gryffindors. Ron was barely eating anything, and Hermione was red and puffy-eyed. Ginny Weasley was sitting next to Hermione, her face streaked with tears. Neville Longbottom looked lost and alone, and so did many of the other Gryffindors. Even Fred and George Weasley, the two notorious pranksters, were not goofing off.

As for Cedric himself, he still felt the horror and numbness he'd experienced since the night of the third task. Harry, the boy he had barely known, the boy he had figured out didn't like him very much, had still sacrificed his life for him. But why? Why had he given up his entire world for a boy he only barely tolerated?

He remembered with crystal clear clarity the shrill voice screaming, "Kill the spare!" and the flash of green light heading for him. He had been stunned, rooted to the spot in horror and fear. Then, he had been pushed back by a violent force, and by the time he looked to see what it was, it was already too late. Harry lay on the ground, his emerald eyes open, a look of sadness but acceptence on his cherubic face. Harry had died for him.

The following days had gone by in a haze. Cedric had been comforted by his parents, his girlfriend Cho, and his roommates and other best friends, but he hadn't said much of anything. He was stricken, horrified at what happened. And to top it all off, the Ministry didn't believe him. Even when he had told the story of Voldemort rising again, taking Cedric's blood, they didn't listen. The ritual had been meant for Harry to unwillingly participate in, but it had been Cedric who Voldemort had used. The Ministry believed Harry's death was an accident and refused to say otherwise.

Cedric could only pick at his food, the image of Harry's lifeless eyes playing over and over in his mind. Why, Harry, why? was an endless question he had. He hadn't deserved it, he had deserved to live to over a hundred with his deathbed surrounded by loved ones. Cedric had been the only one beside him who was not his enemy. It was so awful.

After breakfast, the entire school went outside by the lake. Rows of chairs had been set up there in preparation for Harry's funeral. Cedric's parents met him in the entrance hall, and they gave him concerned looks as they headed outside. Cho was also there, holding Cedric's hand for moral support. Cedric's dormmates trailed behind him, as did his best friend Melissa and a Hufflepuff by the name of Zacharias Smith, who Cedric had been tutoring in the subjects he was struggling in. Zack had been distant with him ever since he'd arrived back after the third task, but Cedric knew why. He was still trying to get over what had almost happened to his tutor.

As Cedric sat down, he looked around and saw Harry's body lying in a casket on a marble table. The table was covered in flowers, every kind of flower you could possibly imagine. There were roses, carnations, hyacynths, daffodils, and many, many more. As the seats filled up, Cedric saw tears in many people's eyes, and he wondered for the thousandth time whether the tears were genuine, or whether they were just because they had no one to worship anymore.

"Good morning, one and all," Albus Dumbledore's sad voice broke through the crowd. "We are gathered here today to celebrate the life of Harry Potter, a boy who touched all of our lives. He was a young lad with a genuinely good heart, and today you will hear accounts of how he changed our world for the better."

A hymn was sung, Morning Has Broken, which was one of Cedric's favorites. His mother had told him it was playing in the delivery room at his birth. Mrs. Diggory squeezed her son's hand in comfort as each verse was sung.

After the hymn was over, Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic, got up to speak. Cedric felt his temper rise as he listened to him drone on and on. "It was a tragic accident that killed young Harry Potter," Fudge said. "He was too young to enter the Triwizard Tournament, we had an age line for a reason. But may he rest in peace, and we will always remember the contributions he made to this world."

"Calm down, love," Cho whispered as Cedric shook with fury. It wasn't a bloody accident, it was murder, you idiot Minister! he shouted inside his head. He was really degrading Harry's sacrifice, and it made the seventeen-year-old sick to his stomach.

After Fudge's speech, a tearful Hermione went up to the podium. She spoke about how Harry had been her best friend in the world, and she also said, to much murmuring of the crowd, that it had been You-Know-Who who had murdered Harry. "My best friend made an unbelievable sacrifice," she went on. "He must be commended for it. He was the bravest person I ever knew. He once told me his greatest desire was to have a happy family. I hope he received that wish. Thank you for being my greatest friend, Harry." Tears streaming down her face, she staggered back to her seat, and Ginny put a comforting arm around her.

The last to speak was Dumbledore. "The hardest thing," he said solemnly, "for anyone to do in this day and age is say goodbye. And it is especially hard to say goodbye to someone so young, and so special. No matter how well you knew Harry, he was a boy who changed the world tremendously. We must honor him, and face Voldemort the way Harry always did, strong and proud." There were gasps at the mention of Voldemort's name, but Dumbledore went right on as though nothing had happened.

"So Harry, wherever you are now," he said, "whether you're cooking with Lily Potter or playing Quidditch with James Potter, please know that we will all miss you, and we will strive to make this world a better place in your honor. Some people come into our lives for a reason, and you, Harry, touched many. Goodbye, young one." A single tear rolled down his cheek as he left the podium.

After the funeral was over, Dumbledore approached Cedric, his parents, and Cho. "The four of you," he said softly, "are invited to the burial. Harry is being buried in Godric's Hollow with his parents. I have already informed the Weasleys, Miss Granger, Mr. Longbottom, and some of his other friends and acquaintances. I feel it important that you come, Cedric, and your parents and Miss Chang can accompany you for moral support. I also would like to ask you if you would help carry Harry's casket along with myself, Arthur Weasley, Ron, Fred, and George. The casket has been charmed into a portkey that will take us to Godric's Hollow."

Slowly, with his heart breaking, Cedric agreed. He walked with Dumbledore to Harry's casket, and Cedric looked for the last time at Harry's peaceful face. "Goodbye, my friend," he said softly as the coffin was closed.

As the portkey landed them in the tiny little cemetery in the village of Godric's Hollow, the men carried the casket over to where the grave diggers were already digging the hole. Hermione, Neville, Mrs. Weasley, Ginny, Cho, and Mr. and Mrs. Diggory trailed behind. The three girls and Mrs. Weasley were crying, and Neville and the Diggorys looked very solemn.

Cedric noticed that there were several other people at the burial. Fudge was there, and so was a face he hadn't seen in a year: Professor Lupin. Cedric wondered what he was doing there.

As Harry's body began to lower into the ground, Cedric held on to Cho tightly, a few tears escaping his eyes. "This wasn't supposed to happen," he choked out.

"Shhhhh, baby, it's all right," Cho tried to soothe him as sobs could be heard all around the graveyard. This was the most heartwrenching scene the boy had ever witnessed.

When Harry's casket was in the hole, people started taking handfuls of dirt and tossing them on top of it. Numbly, Cedric did the same, his feet taking him on autopilot.

It should've been me, he thought miserably, guilt suffocating him. That killing curse was meant for me, not him. Not Harry. He was so damn young. Why did he give his life for me? He didn't even like me! What could be so horrible in his life that he would prefer death? I'm not worth it, Harry, he thought furiously, his shoulders hunched.

Once it was all over and a headstone had been magically placed on the grave, Cedric took the time to read the marker.

Harry James Potter

Born July 31, 1980

Died June 24, 1995

One so young with a heart so true,

Rest well, we'll never forget you.

Cedric's gray eyes stared fixedly at the grave, no longer being able to hide the sobs that racked his body. Mrs. Diggory and Cho held him close, and Mr. Diggory patted his shoulder gently. "It's okay, son," he said gruffly. "He's in a better place now."

"He'd want you to honor his sacrifice, baby," Cho whispered, tenderly stroking Cedric's hair.

Cedric looked up, his face full of guilt. "This is all my fault," he wept. "Why did he give up his life for me? Why?"

He stayed sobbing at Harry's grave for awhile, being comforted by his close friends and family. Finally, after a few minutes, Dumbledore came over to them. "It's time for us to go back to Hogwarts now," he said sadly. "As hard as it is, we must journey on."

Cedric didn't want to leave Harry's final resting place, but eventually, he was helped up by Cho and his parents. Once again on autopilot, he apparated back to Hogwarts' gates (he had just gotten his apparition license last year.)

The rest of the day was spent quietly in the company of the people he loved most in the world. It had been a very emotionally taxing day, and Cedric didn't know whether anything would ever get better again. People said time was a healer, but Cedric now couldn't be sure. Watching a young boy die right in front of your eyes is emotionally draining on the heart and soul.

But the people Cedric loved vowed to be there for him, and Cedric made a silent promise that night as he went to bed. No matter what it took, he would find out more about Harry's life. He wanted to know more about the boy who had touched the hearts of so many. It had taken Harry's death for Cedric to realize it, but he'd deeply cared about him. And if one thing was certain, he was going to make sure Harry knew it, wherever he was. 


End file.
